6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads

[ErikS]

Anyone had any luck with 129 SSTs and ARComp? My Hornady manual does not list the powder. I see BL-C2 gives good speed with itin the manual.

[Jmccracken]

Folks,

Here are my latest results from my 6.5 AR. It has a 22" upper from Stryker Machine and Tool based in Winston Salem, NC. Using CFE223, I was averaging 1 - 1.5 MOA. With AR-Comp as per the picture below, I was able to get sub-MOA on 3 groups 0.69 - 0.95. Below is the .69 group. No signs of pressure.

Alexander Arms Brass
WSR Primers
27.5gr AR-Comp
123 Hornady ELD
2.257 COAL

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10906[/ATTACH]

I work in winston salem. Small world

[Cajuntransplant]

I'm doing some workup with Sierra 107TMK bullets. Here's my ARComp results to share.
Sunny and 45degrees out, Sierra 107TMK, ARComp powder, 2.255 COAL, new Hornady Brass, CCI 450 primers.
Chronograph used is a magnetospeed V3, groups were shot with bipod and rear bag, chrono not attached.
Rifle is a spare parts build with 18" Satern Barrel, Maxim bolt, Omega supressor, and adjustable gas block, nothing too fancy.

**THESE ARE MY LOADS FOR MY RIFLE AND MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR YOUR RIFLE SYSTEM. USE AT OWN RISK.**

All velocity strings were 5 shots.
Groups were 5 shots and measured edge to edge and then subtracted bullet diameter.
No flattened primers during any of the shots.
Slight ejector swipe on three pieces of brass at the 28.4 grain charge.
Going to try 8208 powder next and see what I can come up with.

27.6 grains - Max 2547 - Min 2527 - Avg 2536 - SD 7.4 - Group size .53"
27.8 grains - Max 2551 - Min 2542 - Avg 2546 - SD 4.0 - Group size .59"
28.0 grains - Max 2567 - Min 2545 - Avg 2559 - SD 8.7 - Group size .78"
28.2 grains - Max 2590 - Min 2579 - Avg 2584 - SD 5.0 - Group size .59"
28.4 grains - Max 2607 - Min 2591 - Avg 2597 - SD 6.3 - Group size .37"

[beastep]

Thanks for the info.

[Cajuntransplant]

Here's the 8208 XBR results from today. Not what I expected.
Cloudy and 30degrees out, DA -640, 85% Humidity
Sierra 107TMK, 8208XBR powder, 2.26 COAL, new Hornady Brass, CCI 450 primers.
Chronograph used is a magnetospeed V3, groups were shot with bipod and rear bag, chrono not attached.
Rifle is a spare parts build with 18" Satern Barrel, Maxim bolt, Omega supressor, and adjustable gas block, nothing too fancy.

**THESE ARE MY LOADS FOR MY RIFLE AND MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR YOUR RIFLE SYSTEM. USE AT OWN RISK.**

All velocity strings were 5 shots.
Groups were 5 shots and measured center to center.
Had flattened primers and some ejector swipe at max charge.
I think I'm going to stick with ARComp. Had better results overall with less powder.

27.5 grains - Max 2450 - Min 2387 - Avg 2413 - SD 24.0 - Group size .91"
28.0 grains - Max 2479 - Min 2445 - Avg 2455 - SD 13.4 - Group size .62"
28.5 grains - Max 2531 - Min 2511 - Avg 2519 - SD 8.2 - Group size .54"
29.0 grains - Max 2589 - Min 2567 - Avg 2580 - SD 9.9 - Group size .81"
29.5 grains - Max 2644 - Min 2600 - Avg 2628 - SD 17.1 - Group size .76" (PRESSURE)

[beastep]

Those are still great groups and velocity. Thanks for the info.

[Cajuntransplant]

Those are still great groups and velocity. Thanks for the info.

Thank you!! Yeah I’m not upset with the group or speed but I guess I was hoping to be able to hit about 2620-2650 with the 8208 and not have pressure signs. But I’m only running a 18” barrel. Might just be wishful thinking. I’ve kinda been thinking of doing a 20” barrel upper build though. Get just a little bit more speed safely instead of trying to push it with the 18” setup. I kinda want to run the Grendel in some local rifle matches. I’ll say this though, the 107 TMKs shoot great and were easy to load up and I think I’m at a lot safer pressures with them than the 123 ELDM load I usually shoot.

[BluntForceTrauma]

I think your 18" barrel is key here.

If Sierra's reloading data shows 2750 fps as the fastest speed for the 107 TMK in a 24" barrel (loading PPV and TAC), and if one loses about 25 fps per barrel inch, then we'd expect an 18" to get 2600 fps with that bullet. Right?

So, if your 29.0 XBR load averages 2580 fps from your 18", you're in the ballpark.

[Cajuntransplant]

I think your 18" barrel is key here.

If Sierra's reloading data shows 2750 fps as the fastest speed for the 107 TMK in a 24" barrel (loading PPV and TAC), and if one loses about 25 fps per barrel inch, then we'd expect an 18" to get 2600 fps with that bullet. Right?

So, if your 29.0 XBR load averages 2580 fps from your 18", you're in the ballpark.

Yeah that’s what I’m figuring out too. I don’t think I’m even close to shooting out my 18” Grendel barrel yet but the thought of snagging a 20” or 22” for that extra little bit of speed is temping. Accuracy and mobility trumps speed to a certain extent for me. I’ll see what a decide to do after my next build takes off.

[wraith1516]

with a 20"bbl and a lapua 108 gr bullet over a charge of 30 gr 8208 xbr in a bhw bbl im getting 2730 fps with no pressure signs

[Cajuntransplant]

with a 20"bbl and a lapua 108 gr bullet over a charge of 30 gr 8208 xbr in a bhw bbl im getting 2730 fps with no pressure signs

Nice!! That's good info!!Thank you!

[SnipeDust]

Anyone had any luck with 129 SSTs and ARComp? My Hornady manual does not list the powder. I see BL-C2 gives good speed with itin the manual.

I’m interested in 129gr/AR comp combo also. Any advice?

[ErikS]

I used the data that Johnny used with the 129 Accubonds and had good luck. 1.5 MOA with his 26.7 load, I never used the highest he tried. It is minute of deer at 100yds so to speak. I use a 16in bbl and don't reach out. The BL-C2 loaded well and was about the same. I used data straight out of the book on that one.

[video=youtube_share;v_4zukk5_2s]https://youtu.be/v_4zukk5_2s[/video]

[roor]

Itching to buy some bullets as I get closer to completing my build, but what is the general consensus on what’s the best bullets for target/precision? I currently have h335, h322 and xbr powder on hand.

[Sticks]

Hornady 123 ELD.

Some of us are testing the Nosler 130gr RDF. Much better G7 BC.

[Crusty]

I'm working on 130 RDFs with AR-Comp and am making some headway. The bullet is so long that it has to be seated quite deep just to fit in a mag, which means compressed charges and so far I'm ruining about 30% of my cases (old, many times fired Hornadys) due to shoulder collapse, but I think I've worked out a different seating procedure to reduce that failure rate. They're already shooting sub MOA for me, and with attention to uniform neck tension and uniform seating depth I'm hoping to get my SD into single digits, though I've still got a ways to go and I'll find out today how well my latest changes have worked.

I really want to make these bullets work because they shoot so well and have the potential to accurately get way out there. Once I've figured out the best combo, I'll prep and load some brand new brass with it.

[BluntForceTrauma]

Hey, Crusty, be interested in seeing what you come up with. 130 RDF is a beautiful bullet.

[Crusty]

It really is but because it's so long it's tough to load consistently. Uniform neck tension is the hurdle I'm trying to get over now and on the next pass I may have that handled. Maybe AR-Comp isn't the right powder for these bullets because at an OCW node (26.7gr in my rifle) I have to firmly compress the charge and that interferes with seating the bullets to a uniform depth, but I believe I have some procedural changes to control that. Since I've got a new jug of AR-Comp I'm pretty much committed.

In today's session I had a number of 1-2 MOA groups , but there were two groups that were cloverleafs and I attribute the difference to neck tension and bullet seating consistency (SDs were not that good on most groups). I ran a span of seating depths and 1.613" (base to ogive) delivered the tightest groups, and in my rifle that puts the ogive .130" off the lands. Any longer and the rounds won't fit into the mag.

I had one round that lost the neck right at the top of the shoulder and after much searching and a bunch of guys looking into my chamber for themselves and not finding it, we decided that the neck must have gone downrange. It was such a clean and uniform break that I suspect that I cut too deep into the shoulder when I turned that neck, and it may have been the case that I used to set up my turning head.

[Sticks]

Crusty - I have been trying the RDFs loaded long for a Howa (2.32 COAL). Have not gotten to grouping yet, just looking at velocity nodes.

What are you getting for speed. I have been warned off CFE for temp sensitivity reasons, and am looking for a different powder. Leverlution and 8208 were recommended, but I have a FPS minimum of 2450 to reach and 8208 seems to run a little slow at 100% on Noslers site. I was in the mid 2500s with no bolt lift issues on CFE and a couple nice nodes.

When you do find something, please update the Nosler 130 RDF Thread.

[Bearcatrp]

Is anyone loading for short barrels. Looking for tips. Have a 12.5 inch coming shortly. Have 8208 that I use for my 12.5 308 that works fairly well with 168 grain A-Max. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks.